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Abstract:

A multiple bundle sling load system including a sling for attachment to
an aircraft, a support system suspended from the sling for carrying a
plurality of bundles, a load release mechanism interconnecting each
bundle with the support structure, a parachute associated with at least
one of the bundles, a parachute release mechanism interconnecting each
parachute with the support structure. And an actuator for remotely
operating each release mechanism for selectively releasing each load
release mechanism and not releasing the associated parachute release
mechanism for an air drop operation and selectively releasing each load
release mechanism and each associated parachute release mechanism for a
land drop operation.

Claims:

1. A multiple bundle sling load system comprising: a sling for attachment
to an aircraft; a support system suspended from said sling for carrying a
plurality of bundles; a load release mechanism interconnecting each
bundle with said support structure; a parachute associated with at least
one of said bundles; a parachute release mechanism interconnecting each
said parachute with said support structure; and an actuator for remotely
operating each said release mechanism for selectively releasing each said
load release mechanism and not releasing the associated said parachute
release mechanism for an air drop operation and selectively releasing
each said load release mechanism and each associated said parachute
release mechanism for a land drop operation.

2. The sling load system of claim 1 in which said sling includes a cable
and hook.

3. The sling load system of claim 1 in which said support structure
includes a number of stations for supporting the bundles.

4. The sling load system of claim 1 in which said load release mechanism
includes an electrically operated load release device.

5. The sling load system of claim 1 in which said parachute release
mechanism includes an electrically operated parachute release device and
the static line.

Description:

[0002] Helicopters are used to make land/release of payloads of varying
sizes and shapes. Typically, the helicopter carries a sling including,
for example, a cable with a hook at one end to attach to a sling load.
The sling load can then be externally transported from one location to
another.

[0003] Sling loads allow even large, bulky cargos such as vehicles to be
ferried by the helicopters. To eliminate the need to make numerous trips
to ferry a number of payloads or bundles, multiple payload or multiple
bundle sling load systems are used. A receiving party can attach a hook
or remove a hook from the bundle while it is on the ground. To remove a
bundle or payload, either the helicopter must land or the load must be
lowered to the ground and manually removed form its hook. In another
approach, a multiple bundle sling load system is provided with an
automatic release mechanism so that any one or more of the cargo bundles
can be released remotely without need for the presence of recovery
personnel and the commensurate delay. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,593,113. A
further goal is to service multiple payload systems where the individual
bundles may be rigged for air drop and then released at altitude to be
delivered to the ground under a canopy without preventing the chance for
other loads to be delivered via standard sling load delivery.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] It is therefore an object of this invention to provide an improved
multiple bundle sling load system.

[0005] It is a further object of this invention to provide such an
improved multiple bundle sling load system for selectively releasing
bundles for air drops and/or land/release.

[0006] It is a further object of this invention to provide such an
improved multiple bundle sling load system for selectively releasing
bundles for air drops and/or land/release and releasing parachute static
lines for land/release only.

[0007] The invention results from the realization that a multiple bundle
sling load system for selectively air dropping and/or land/release a
number of bundles can be achieved with a sling for attachment to an
aircraft; a support structure suspended from said sling for carrying a
plurality of bundles; a load release mechanism interconnecting each
bundle with said support structure; a parachute associated with at least
one of said bundles; a parachute release mechanism interconnecting each
said parachute with said support structure; and an actuator for remotely
operating each said release mechanism for selectively releasing each said
load release mechanism and not releasing the associated said parachute
release mechanism for an air drop operation and selectively releasing
each said load release mechanism and each associated said parachute
release mechanism for a land drop operation.

[0008] The subject invention, however, in other embodiments, need not
achieve all these objectives and the claims hereof should not be limited
to structures or methods capable of achieving these objectives.

[0009] This invention features a multiple bundle sling load system
including a sling for attachment to an aircraft, a support system
suspended from the sling for carrying a plurality of bundles, a load
release mechanism interconnecting each bundle with the support structure,
a parachute associated with at least one of the bundles, a parachute
release mechanism interconnecting each parachute with the support
structure. An actuator remotely operates each release mechanism for
selectively releasing each load release mechanism and not releasing the
associated parachute release mechanism for an air drop operation and
selectively releasing each load release mechanism and each associated
parachute release mechanism for a land drop operation.

[0010] In a preferred embodiment the sling may include a cable and hook.
The support structure may include a number of stations for supporting the
bundles. The load release mechanism may include an electrically operated
load release device. The parachute release mechanism may include an
electrically operated parachute release device and the static line.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled
in the art from the following description of a preferred embodiment and
the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a helicopter carrying a multiple
bundle sling load system according to this invention with an R.F. remote
control;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the system of FIG. 1 with a wired
remote controller;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a three dimensional, more detailed view of the support
structure of FIG. 1 with bundles, parachutes and release mechanisms;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a more detailed view of the electrical release mechanism
of FIG. 3; and

[0016]FIG. 5 is a more detailed view of the remote controller of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Aside from the preferred embodiment or embodiments disclosed below,
this invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or
being carried out in various ways. Thus, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited in its application to the details of
construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the
following description or illustrated in the drawings. If only one
embodiment is described herein, the claims hereof are not to be limited
to that embodiment. Moreover, the claims hereof are not to be read
restrictively unless there is clear and convincing evidence manifesting a
certain exclusion, restriction, or disclaimer.

[0018] There is shown in FIG. 1 a multiple bundle sling system 10 carried
by helicopter 12. Sling load system 10 includes a sling or sling system
14, such as a cable 16 and hook 18 attached to support structure 20 which
carries an unspecified number of loads, load A-load N, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30
and 32. Each load has associated with it a parachute 34, 36, 38, 40, 42
and 44, respectively. Each load is also attached to support structure 20
by, for example, a suspension sling 46, 48, 50, 52, 54 and 56 in series
with a load release mechanism 58, 60, 62, 64, 66 and 68. Each parachute
also has associated with it a static line 70, 72, 74, 76, 78 and 80.
Along with a parachute release 82, 84, 86, 88, 90 and 92. Each of the
release mechanisms 58-68 and 82-92 are individually, separately,
addressable by remote controller 100 which is typically carried by
personnel aboard helicopter 12.

[0019] Using controller 100, any one or more of the releases 58-68 and
82-92 can be actuated to release the associated load 22-32. If the drop
is an air drop the parachute release mechanisms 82-92 are not actuated
and the static lines are effective to release the parachute as the loads
22-32 drop to the ground. If, on the other hand, any one or more of the
loads are to be land dropped the selected ones of the release mechanisms
58-68 will be released and the associated parachute release 82-92 will be
released as well to prevent the static line from operating the chute.

[0020] While remote controller 100 is shown as an RF device for
communicating with its associated release mechanisms, this is not a
necessary limitation of the invention as it may be a wired controller
100a, FIG. 2, in which it is wired directly to the release mechanisms
58-68 of loads A-N, 22-32, and directly to each of parachute release
mechanisms 82-92 interconnected with the static lines 70-80 of parachutes
82-92. The separate control of the operation of the release of the loads
and their associated parachutes provides the operator with complete
freedom to select which one or more loads to drop and whether to execute
a land drop and operate the parachute release to prevent the parachute
deployment or execute an air drop and release the one or more selected
loads but not their related parachute releases so that the parachutes do
deploy, or to deliver some by air drop and some by land/release.

[0021] A support structure, FIG. 3, usable with this invention may
actually include a frame 110 made of a series of longitudinal beams 112,
114, a center reinforcing beam 116 and a number of cross beams 118, 120,
122 and 124. Suspended from support 110 are the load release mechanisms
58a, 60a, 62a, which grip straps 46a, 48a and 50a of loads A, B and C 22,
24 and 26. Similar release mechanisms and support straps are provided for
loads D, E and N 28a, 30a, and 32a whose support straps are not shown.
Shown are parachutes 40a, 42a, 44a, 46a, 48a and 50a and their associated
static lines 70a, 72a, 74a, 76a, and 78a, and parachute release
mechanisms 82a, 84a, 86a, 88a, 90a and 92a.

[0022] Representative release mechanisms 58 and 82, FIG. 4, are secured to
suspension sling 46 by the mounting location 140 and the payload is
attached by latch assembly 142. A signal from the aircraft 12 is sent via
the wireless activation device 100 to the release mechanisms 58 and 82
causing a release of payload 22.

[0023] Control unit 100, FIG. 5, is a remote device that is used for
triggering release 58 and 82. The remote device has different buttons
associated with each of the unspecified number of loads. The control
device 100 transmits a signal to the specified release mechanism and
initiates the release sequence of the payload.

[0024] Although specific features of the invention are shown in some
drawings and not in others, this is for convenience only as each feature
may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with
the invention. The words "including", "comprising", "having", and "with"
as used herein are to be interpreted broadly and comprehensively and are
not limited to any physical interconnection. Moreover, any embodiments
disclosed in the subject application are not to be taken as the only
possible embodiments.

[0025] In addition, any amendment presented during the prosecution of the
patent application for this patent is not a disclaimer of any claim
element presented in the application as filed: those skilled in the art
cannot reasonably be expected to draft a claim that would literally
encompass all possible equivalents, many equivalents will be
unforeseeable at the time of the amendment and are beyond a fair
interpretation of what is to be surrendered (if anything), the rationale
underlying the amendment may bear no more than a tangential relation to
many equivalents, and/or there are many other reasons the applicant can
not be expected to describe certain insubstantial substitutes for any
claim element amended.

[0026] Other embodiments will occur to those skilled in the art and are
within the following claims.